Dancing with a piano (and other moving notes)

Saturday we had the piano tuned. It was long overdue. They should probably be tuned yearly, and definitely after a move. So we called the guy that tunes the church's piano. I love listening to him do it. It's about an hour of note-note-note; then two notes together; then a chord... over and over and over again, up and down the keyboard. I find the repetition extremely soothing. It slows me down or something. Anyhew... What should have been a 45-minute job turned into a 3 hour job, and he needs to come back because he broke 3 strings. He said one of the bridge bars (or something) appears to have been improperly installed. Nothing that can't be dealt with, but a real bugger for what he thought was going to be a Saturday morning quickie.

At any rate, I learned some useful information about moving pianos (and how to treat them in general). I asked if it was okay to set an upright like ours on its back when moving it. He said, "Oh yes, that is the best and safest way to move a piano - especially when hauling one in a truck." I then shared how we had actually set this one up on end to get it in and out of one of our houses, and he said something like, "Oh, they love to be tossed around like that." And that's when I first noticed that he was talking about them as though they were alive. I suppose in a way only a professional tuner/repairman could. Then I could see it in his eyes and the expression on his face ...He wasn't here just to fix an instrument or piece of furniture... this guy was here to give her some lovin'. He wasn't doing a job, he was redeeming this beauty; he was restoring her self-esteem; he wanted to see her get up and dance again!!!

I love people like that. They are full of life, and they're not content to just live it, they want to share it! They want to see others come to life too. I wish I could be more like the piano tuner... taking the world dancing (though Jane will tell you it's a chore to get me on the dance floor. Clapton's 'Beautiful Tonight', and not much else. I'm speaking metaphorically here). :)

I think that's what I liked so much about when my son and his friends used to buy pizza's and eat with the homeless of downtown Indianapolis. It wasn't that they were really doing anything *for* them. But they were doing something WITH them. Dancing, so-to-speak. [Hmm. I always forget to ask why they stopped. Maybe it's because I have an inkling.]

So... now that I hear the music...